Standing nearby, Zhu Zhuqing watched the white-haired young man suddenly lose his composure and burst into laughter. Her pretty face was filled with bewilderment and unease, and she barely dared to breathe.
In her eyes, this seemingly young senior had become so wildly unrestrained upon hearing the name "Bibi Dong." Could it be... that he bore a deep, blood-soaked grudge against Spirit Hall?
Had An Jing been able to hear the girl's thoughts at that moment, he probably would have praised her: "Your guess really isn't far off."
There was indeed a grudge, and an enormous one at that!
If Spirit Hall hadn't raised a tiger only to invite disaster, recklessly feeding him experience, if Qian Daoliu hadn't been so indecisive, and if Qian Renxue hadn't been an incurable, terminal-stage lovesick fool,
if they hadn't practically carried that Blue Silver Grass brat who played with hidden weapons onto the supreme divine thrones of the Sea God and even the Asura God, how could Douluo Star twenty thousand years later have ended up in that wretched state, the Tang Family's private property?
Whenever he thought of his previous life, An Jing couldn't help wanting to curse.
He had exhausted every scheme and painstakingly cultivated, step by step, beneath the shadows of the ruthless Federation and the Abyss. After finally condensing a Soul Core in his twenties, forging his own Two-Word Battle Armor, and crossing the threshold into Seven-Ring Soul Sage,
he hadn't even gotten a chance to show off before two God-Slaying Fixed Soul Cannon Shells swept down from the sky and blasted all of Shrek City sky-high. He had gotten an instant GG right along with it.
Humiliating! Humiliating to the bone!
"But... everything is different now."
The fervor and mockery in An Jing's eyes gradually faded, replaced by a cold, razor-sharp gaze.
Since heaven had given him the chance to travel twenty thousand years into the past, if he still let that bastard Tang San sail smoothly into godhood, he might as well find a block of frozen tofu and bash himself to death against it, rather than disgrace modern Soul Masters.
In this era, the so-called Child of Destiny was merely an ignorant little boy who had just left Holy Soul Village, smugly brandishing a handful of lousy iron needles.
Of course, even a lion used its full strength to hunt a rabbit.
Before overturning the entire chessboard, his first step had to be maximizing his own gains.
That meant getting stronger!
And the most heaven-defying, effortless opportunity in this era was, without question, that pool of Immortal-Grade Medicinal Herbs in the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well!
In the era of Douluo Dalu III: The Legend of the Dragon King, the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well had long since become the Tang Sect's heavily guarded private garden, covered in modern Soul Tool Defense Systems and guarded by six Ferocious Beast-level Immortal Herb Spirits. Ordinary Soul Masters couldn't even dream of touching it; taking half a step closer would leave them reduced to ash.
But now?
That treasure land nurtured by heaven and earth was merely some green-haired old monster's private herb garden. Ownerless treasure-finders had a share!
"Immortal herbs..."
An Jing sneered inwardly. Back then, the Tang Sect wouldn't even spare outsiders a sip of broth. Now that the wheel of fortune had turned, he would not only pull everything up by the roots, but stomp on it a couple of times too.
He drew a deep breath, completely settling his surging emotions, and turned his gaze back to the cautious Zhu Zhuqing before him.
To reach the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, he first had to go to Sunset Forest.
But Sunset Forest was vast and shrouded in miasma. Searching every inch on foot for that treasure land would waste far too much time, and he could easily lose the initiative.
That being the case, there was only one simplest, most direct method.
Head straight to the Heaven Dou Empire, drag out that Titled Douluo named Dugu Bo, beat him into submission on the spot, and make him personally lead the way!
What if he couldn't win?
What kind of interstellar joke was that?
He, An Jing, possessed an ultimate Soul Core from the Douluo Dalu III: The Legend of the Dragon King system, along with a full set of Two-Word Battle Armor and high-level Self-Created Soul Skills. Killing enemies above his level was as easy as drinking water.
Among the Titled Douluo of Douluo I, Dugu Bo was already infamous for being "unbeatable against crowds, bottom of the barrel in a duel," and Modern Resistance Soul Tools completely countered his deadly poisons.
It wasn't that An Jing was arrogant. As he saw it now, the only people he couldn't pick a fight with were Bo Saixi, the high priestess of Sea God Island, and Qian Daoliu of Spirit Hall. Hmm... Bibi Dong counted too.
Everyone else was no different from a savage in An Jing's eyes.
If he absolutely had to name a difference, they were merely savages with slightly higher Soul Power Levels.
Having made up his mind, An Jing looked down at the black-clad girl, his tone returning to its original indifference and composure:
"Do you know the way to the Heaven Dou Empire?"
Zhu Zhuqing froze for a moment, then nodded repeatedly like a chick pecking grain, as though she had caught hold of a lifeline:
"I do! Senior, we're currently at the edge of the Heaven Dou Empire's southern border. My original plan was also to travel through Heaven Dou.
If you wish to go to the Heaven Dou Empire, I will do everything I can to guide you!"
Though she didn't understand why this peerless powerhouse had suddenly taken an interest in the Heaven Dou Empire, following such a terrifying being, who could summon clouds with one turn of his hand and rain with another,
would not only let her escape the Star Luo Empire's pursuit completely, but also grant her a staggering opportunity she could only dream of.
"Good. Then let's go."
An Jing nodded slightly, his clothes fluttering in the breeze.
It worked out perfectly. He also wanted to see for himself what Heaven Dou City had looked like twenty thousand years ago, before war had reshaped it, while it still retained the lingering glow of an ancient empire.
A gentle breeze brushed the treetops, sending fallen leaves swirling.
Without the slightest hesitation, the two figures, one larger and one smaller, passed straight along the ancient path through the deep woods, crossed the boundary of Star Dou Great Forest, and sped toward the Heaven Dou Empire.
In the blink of an eye, several days hurried past.
Heaven Dou Empire, Heaven Dou City.
As the seat of power and economic heart of one of the continent's two great empires, Heaven Dou City stood grand and imposing. Its towering gray-white walls wound like a coiled dragon, while a constant stream of carriages and people flowed through its gates, sending a wave of bustling prosperity toward them.
On the broad, tidy bluestone streets, the two figures walking one behind the other drew countless passing glances almost as soon as they entered the city gates.
For no other reason than that the pair was simply too eye-catching.
The white-haired young man in front wore a cold expression and a sharply tailored modern Soul Master combat outfit made from extraordinary materials, its hard lines brimming with an industrial aesthetic,
utterly unlike the elaborate, bulky classical robes and aristocratic formalwear filling the streets of this era, exuding an incongruous air of mystery and cutting-edge style.
The girl half a step behind him wore a slightly mended, tight black leather outfit that outlined breathtaking curves. Though her exquisite, coolly beautiful face showed signs of travel fatigue,
it could not conceal her innate nobility and stubbornness, while the two buns atop her head, resembling cat ears, added an unusual charm.
Quite a few well-dressed noblemen and wastrel young lords secretly swallowed, their gazes roaming brazenly over the girl's striking figure,
only to shudder in fright and hastily shrink back when they met An Jing's bottomless, icy eyes, which faintly radiated an intimidating pressure.
"Senior, this is the Heaven Dou Empire's imperial capital."
Zhu Zhuqing lowered her head slightly and deliberately kept her voice down, her tone instinctively respectful and restrained.
"Mm."
With his hands in his pockets, An Jing casually scanned the old, medieval-style buildings around him, a faint trace of disdain flashing through his eyes.
To someone accustomed to living among the modern cities, Maglev Rail Trains, and cloud-piercing Soul Tool Skyscrapers of Douluo Dalu III: The Legend of the Dragon King, this so-called imperial capital was so primitive that it was practically a giant stone village.
He withdrew his gaze and asked calmly:
"Do you know where Dugu Bo's residence is? Take me straight there to find him."
"To find... His Excellency the Poison Douluo?!"
Zhu Zhuqing stopped abruptly, unconcealable horror instantly surging through her cool eyes as she let out an involuntary gasp.
Dugu Bo, the "Jade Phosphorous Serpent Emperor"-a Titled Douluo renowned throughout the continent for his ruthlessness and solitary temperament!
This mysterious senior had traveled a thousand miles to Heaven Dou City just to seek out that notoriously fearsome Poison Douluo?
Before you continue